- Span: 10°00′ Virgo to 23°20′ Virgo
- Deity: Savitur, the Sun god
- Dasha Lord: Moon
- Symbols: Hands, Palms of the hands with the fingers visible, Clenched Fist, Potter’s Wheel.
- Animal (Yoni): Buffalo (female)
- Shakti or power: Hasta Sthapaniyaagama Shakti = power to gain what you seek and have it in your hands
The deity is Savitur, the solar god related to the generative principle, as well as the idea of regeneration and the cycles in life. Savitur is one of the 12 Adityas, sons of Aditi, the universal goddess who represents infinity. Savitur is invoked in the Gayatri Mantra, in search of his power to reveal our inner spiritual light. Savitur is also seen as the god who gives life, so an affinity towards children occurs in Hasta.
Savitur is a jovial and light-hearted deity, which brings this aspect to Hasta, being a nakshatra greatly related to humor. Similarly, Savitur is very skilled with his hands, being associated with any type of craft. Gambling is also associated with Savitur. He is also known as a great trickster, fraudster and liar, which are some of the shadow issues of Hasta.
Hasta means hand, which is the main symbol of this star. Another translation of the word is “to laugh”, humor is an important point here. Hasta can also refer to the tusk of an elephant, as this is seen as an extra hand that they have.
The main symbol of this nakshatra is the hand, the derived symbols all relate to this in some way. Some depictions show a clenched fist, while others show an open faced hand, each represents a different aspect or point of the star. An alternative symbol is a potter’s wheel, an artisan’s instrument that requires handling.
The hands themselves indicate self-reliance and the ability to control your own destiny. Hasta’s shakti deals with conquering and possessing things. So there is a strong energy towards building and creating here. The hands also deal with the process of molding clay. Not only this signals a relationship with all kinds of crafts and trades, but it also deals with a metaphor about life itself.
Men are molded like clay. By their experiences, by their urges, desires and specially by problems and conflicts. We are molded and transformed throughout life. Hasta naturally deals with conflicts and crisis, at both the making and solving realms. Crisis and problems are a constant in the Hasta native’s life. Virgo, after all, is the sign of problem solving. So this asterism at the heart of the sign naturally deals with problems and solutions.
The clenched fist symbol has many connotations, not a lot of them positive. For one thing, closing the hand can mean having something to hide. We clench our fists when we are upset or angry, it is a sign of aggression. On that note, this symbol tends to show a lot of the shadows in Hasta. Things like deception, trickery, manipulation and greed come into play with this star. Some vicious tendencies such as lying are also represented here, as the closed hand shows hidden intentions. Not letting things go can also figure through this, as we hang onto something.
On the positive, the clenched fist represents strength, and this nakshatra usually shows strong and resolute people. Hasta also has the skill of gathering people and resources to reach a common goal, much like a clenched fist, showing strength through unity and collaboration.
The open faced hand, with the palm visible, shows a more lighthearted side of things. Denoting openness and receptivity. This symbol relates a lot to occult and esoteric, specially with palmistry, as this is the hand in the perfect position for a palmistry reading. Hasta can be associated with all occult endeavors, such as astrology itself, but it mostly deals with palmistry and the tarot.
Hasta also deals with time and its limitations, that is, the acknowledgment of the natural laws bestowed to mankind. We all live, but we all must die. In a micro sense of the master law, we all have highs and lows. Similarly, situations will manifest in accordance to timing and the cycles. At the height of a cycle you might win the lottery, while at the lowest point you might fall ill, for instance. Hasta being the star of manifestation naturally deals with timing, and how time limits the manifestation process. This is mostly seem by the symbol of the Potter’s Wheel, which resembles a clock, and it deals with the molding of clay just like the molding of time and men.
Hasta has the Moon as the Vimshottari ruler, associating this nakshatra with the lunar energies. The Moon’s main meaning deals with emotions, which are prominent here. But another meaning of the planet deals with the masses, with society and public opinion. Hasta, in one way or another, will always be very connected with public perception and society. Their moods, opinions and desires tend to change or be molded along with what is happening in the world or with society. Similarly, they could have a desire towards molding the masses, manipulating or influencing others.
Being placed in Virgo, a sign of Mercury, it becomes a Moon-Mercury combination. This combination shows many interesting results. On the positive side, this is a very intelligent and capable star, as the mind is strong through these planets. On the negative side, Mercury-Moon combinations usually denote a nervous/anxious personality. As one mental planet stimulates the other, and the mind seems to never stop or pause. These natives could be prone to overthinking or living on their nerves. A Moon-Mercury combo stimulates movement and activity, and these natives seem to always be doing something, even when resting. Similarly, the day when Hasta transits is usually bad for rest and relaxation. They are workaholics and perfectionists at times.
I tend to relate Hasta to Ashlesha, as both stars have a Moon-Mercury energy imbibed in them. Both stars have a great intellect, but they also have deceptive trends, as well as a desire for control or manipulation of others.
We live in an age where Ashlesha and Hasta are very prominent, through their common concept of deception, but also for their individual energies. Ashlesha through the poisons in, well, everything. From our food and water, to medicine, our world is filled with shady things. Meanwhile, Hasta deals with handling things, and we live in a world of small screens and devices. The height of the smartphone age started after a Saturn-Jupiter opposition in Hasta, at March 2011.
Some loose notes:
- They might be superficial, or too focused on appearances.
- Anything related to crafts and artisanship.
- Strong quest for improvement or for reaching his goals.
- Great sense of humor.
- Perfectionism.
- Deception, manipulation and a desire to control others.
- Emotionally:
- They are prone to using emotions to control others, with things like emotional blackmail.
- They desire the upper hand in their relationships. Sharing is fine, as long as they have the bigger share.
- They have a strong trend of wanting to save face from others, so they will avoid admitting mistakes to extremes.
- Their relationships tend to be unequal, in one way or another.
- Good for partnerships and transactional relationships, such as business.
- Activities involving cards.
- Magic (in the showmanship sense).
- They might have an easy time learning languages.
- Gambling.
- Technology, specially handheld devices.
- All forms of occultism, but specially Palmistry and Tarot.
- Tendency to lie or have some shady dealings.
- Career wise:
- Any work that requires concentrated effort and usage of hands
- This could be any skilled labor, trades or artisanship. Such as woodworking, sewing, etc.
- It could also deal with dentists, surgeons or other medical professionals.
- Engineering, specially of electronics.
- Performers and showmen, specially magicians.
- Journalists and those that influence public opinion.
- Artists, actors, etc.
- Occultism and fields such as palmistry.
- Business and administrative fields.
- Any work that requires concentrated effort and usage of hands
Hasta has perfectionism as a double-edged sword. On one hand, it leads to good results and excellent work. On the other hand, this could lead towards wasting time or procrastinating. At times things just have to be delivered at the right time, not late with extra shiny parts, a perfectionist will not understand this.
Sometimes, Hasta natives could be miserable by choice. Choosing to do all the work, without asking for help, and only complaining to themselves about an unjust world. The thing is that people will forgo doing what is asked of them at times, imagine how well will people fare at doing what wasn’t even asked? Hasta has to learn how to communicate their feelings and needs to other people, rather than expecting other’s to guess or know intuitively.
Superficiality is a big issue in Hasta, as the star tends to focus only on the immediate and clear. Hasta might have a hard time planning for the long term, as they can easily get lost on what needs to be done now. In relationships, Hasta is the handshake, a rather impersonal and superficial way of connecting.
Hasta relates a lot to the modern business world, and its careless and superficial mindset. All year gigantic corporations virtue signal about social causes, how much they care about it all, and yet they really don’t care. The same tech companies that boast about the environment make impossible to repair devices, that will become a paperweight whenever you need to fix something as simple as replacing a battery.
Hasta operates in the now, so any action taken will not consider future consequences. It is the eternal present. If a problem will appear in 20 years, it doesn’t matter, as only the present exists.
In their personal relationships, Hasta natives might suffer from a similar superficiality. Virgo is the debilitation sign of Venus, and this is seen in Hasta. Overthinking their relationships could be an issues, as well as the need to control (or mold) their partners. At times, they might seek defective people whom they desire to fix. But a big issue here is superficiality, focusing only on the practical (specially if beneficial to them), and never truly engaging the people around them.
There is a Mercurial trend to focusing on words, not actions. In that sense, they could treat people poorly, while at the same time making long declarations of love and appreciation. In their minds, saying is more important than doing in the relationship. Again, the superficial trumps the profound.
Overall, Hasta natives are very determined individuals, who usually possess a good deal of intelligence and skills to succeed. Their biggest issues in life deal with their relationships, many times with complications caused by their own behavior. These natives are prone to having crooked paths, which could mean shady dealings or dishonest behavior, or simply turbulent or unusual roads towards their goals.
→ Favorable activities with Hasta: Any active endeavor, all forms of physical activity. Any craft or trade. Great for working with your hands. Great for working in general. Great for playing games, anything dealing with cards and magic. Good for yoga. Good for travelling. Great for trades and transactions. Uncovering information.
→ Unfavorable activities with Hasta: Rest and relaxation. Planning long term goals or objectives, or anything dealing with the long term. Inactivity. Sexual acts.
Predictively, any planet placed in Hasta will deal with skills or abilities. It could indicate a talent. Another indication of Hasta are shady characters, either with people who lie, or with people who deal with unusual activities such as gambling. Again, these are two extremes, depending a lot on the disposition of the planet and the aspects to it.
A positive placement in Hasta will usually show someone crafty, maybe someone that is good at sewing or similar activities. A more negative placement would show a gambler or someone with shadier habits.
Examples:
- Lord Alfred Douglas (Moon at 11° Virgo, Mercury at 19° Virgo): British writer and lover of Oscar Wilde.
- Creativity and talent: An accomplished writer, poet and satirist.
- Manipulation: Douglas had a long standing feud with his father, and he stimulated Wilde to pick this fight for him, which (among other actions by Douglas) contributed to Wilde’s arrest.
- Dan Bilzerian (Ascendant at 14° Virgo, Jupiter at 13° Virgo, Saturn at 14° Virgo): Poker Player, professional gambler.
- Susan Boyle (Moon at 19° Virgo): Scottish singer who achieved overnight fame.
- Creativity and talent: her amazing voice dazzled the world.
- Relation to Mass Media: her fame came from appearing on a singing competition TV show.
- Nervous personality: she suffered a panic attack on the night of her final performance, she has also admitted to suffering from Asperger’s syndrome.
- Walt Disney (Moon at 16° Virgo): American cartoonist who created Mickey Mouse.
- Creativity and talent
- Relation to Mass Media